Vontaze Burfict enters NFL draft

[JonLP24]

Monday, Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict dropped a hint on his Facebook page that he was ending his college football career, according to the Arizona Republic, writing that he was "expanding (his) talents to the next level."

Tuesday, Burfict made good on the hint, announcing he would forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft, ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad reported.

Burfict is ranked No. 15 on ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board.

Burfict was credited with 69 tackles, 40 of them solo, along with five interceptions at Arizona State this season. He's credited with 219 tackles in three seasons.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2012/story/_/id/7420118/vontaze-burfict-arizona-state-sun-devils-enters-nfl-draft

Terrific player. I will remember his time at Arizona State forever. He should make a team that drafts him very, very happy.

[Scuba]

1. If he's 15 on Kiper's board, that means he'll get picked....

...somewhere in the top 250 or so picks.

[JonLP24]

2. I know he'll get picked in the first round easily

I should have been more clearer in that regard. He's very talented, I'm tempted to say best LB in ASU history but they've had some good linebackers.

On edit - I'll go ahead and say best LB at ASU ever. Terrell Suggs played DE at Arizona State.

[bluedigger]

3. That has to be one of the weirdest names ever.

I can't even begin to guess where Vontaze is from...Mars?

[LeftOfSelf-Centered]

4. Brock Osweiler's gone too...

Next year is promising to be fairly interesting for ASU (and the rest of the PAC-12); there is a lot of turnover and a new coach. And, while I'm ok with Erickson being gone after the team's implosion, something about the new coach (Todd Graham) really rubs me the wrong way. Might be the fact that I don't trust people who talk in catch phrases (and he's a fundie to boot!), and that I'm tired of the "high octane" offenses with no defense, but we'll have to see how he works out. Personally I was hoping that we would hire Justin Wilcox.

As for Burfict, I read an interesting thread on an ASU message board (Devil's Digest). People were talking about what kind of team they hoped he would end up on. Somebody made a good point, saying that the best solution would be for him to end up on a team were he plays behind a veteran linebacker, who can take Vontaze under his wing and help him work out his discipline and self control issues on the field, which Erickson never seemed to able to address. If on the other hand, if he ends up on a team that needs him right away and throws him to the wolves before he's ready, he might just get in his own way and have a short carreer...

[KamaAina]

5. Pity he didn't become a baseball pitcher

he could've thrown a Burfict game!

or, for that matter, a bowler, a la CP3.